inspiration

On this, the day of the UK launch for the brilliant documentary on Bill Cunningham: Bill Cunningham New York - I thought I'd go back to my blog's infancy. On three years ago today, just around the Ides of March (another great film, btw), I posted this shot ('it's a bird'). I remember she didn't speak English - possibly French, she was very shy - so I didn't eve catch her name. And then this pigeon flew into the shot! That's when I was shooting in film, and only took one or two shots: I loved the serendipity of the moment. The accidents that happen.

I'm interested in seeing what holds up, over time. That's the distinction, for me, between following a trend and simply having a good sense of style. And I know that, like Bill, I am not an arbitrator of style (??), nor am I an industry insider, thank God! I'm just reporting the facts, ma'am, so please don't shoot the messenger.

There is so much in the film that I love, but especially, the idea that Bill knows he can't go out to chase a trend: the street talks to him, the trends reveal themselves. That's exactly my experience. It's a question of keeping one's eyes open, stilling one's mind, and carrying a camera. It's that simple. No, I take that back: it's simple, but it's also all consuming, and even doing it for a few years.. to spend a lifetime doing this, with the energy he does, is awe inspiring.

Those of you who know me know that Bill is the reason I started my blog. So I will be doing an homage to him over the next few weeks. I realise this is only a big deal in the UK: apparently America saw the film - was it a year ago? More? - and I don't know about other countries. But if you want to see cinema listings, go to: BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK. Very moving film: I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

dogwoof: you snooze, you loose

How wild is this: as I type this, I swear to you, I just heard a dog bark outside the window. At night. We never hear a dog in our quiet little mews!

Okay, here's the thing: I can't get emails to my phone. It's a funny problem to have - I get too many, from all the PRs and brands and god knows what - I really should write a book about the things I get in my inbox - but because I don't get emails, I didn't read the invite from DOGWOOF, the distributors, to see an intimate BILL CUNNINGHAM'S FILM tonight until I got home. One hour and eleven minutes before it was meant to start.

Across town. At MOTHER, the coolest ad agency space on the planet.

It was billed (get it? Bill? sorry) as "quite a cosy screening with some drinks and comfy sofas. Their office is pretty awesome too." And it is. Awesome, that is. I mean, for example, how cool is their loo.



Or, for that matter, their huge wall of funny framed photos of - yes, you guessed it - all the staff's MOTHERS. (I can only show you the blurry shots, for legal reasons, but I've got a wonderful private collection of shots I took before someone cottoned onto what I was doing).




Photos by me (who else) about a year or so back, at Mother, for another fun breakfast event. But not as much fun, I bet, as this screening. Which I'm missing, because I was out having a wonderful day and meeting Jessie of Fashion Limbo, who is so wonderful (you know how someone can really exceed your expectation of them - even if that expectation is high? That's what it was like, meeting Jessie - she's wonderful) and then Tom (Emma's Brother), who is also so cool, and then I saw The Descendants, which was also wonderful. And that's my point: in a day full of wonderfulness, you can't do everything.



But gosh darnit: I am going to see that Bill Cunningham film, if it kills me. Because he's the reason I started this blog in the first place. I had never heard of streetstyle, or the Sartorialist, in fact didn't really know about blogs, apart from political ones. Bill is my inspiration. But I'll save that for another post.

the puffa, & the long haul

Having not left home since we returned to the UK, I can't report on any new trends in London for the past two weeks. I can say, however, that before I left - and I assume that things haven't changed that much - the emphasis was on staying warm. And that means fur, faux fur, or the infamous Puffa Jackets.

My inspiration for this blog - Bill Cunningham, who I've been following in print in the NY Times Style section since I was a kid - happened to do his column on it the first Sunday I was in Florida: this is the video, a very charming little film. It was a delight to sit on the sun deck, watching the exotic birds on the water, in a swimsuit, and read this article with my morning coffee.

I loved this couple, who we met at the Tate Modern just before we left. They were visiting from Japan. A rare sighting of non print style, in the Land of the Leopard Print.



Or, not, as it turns out. She found this vintage hat somewhere in London: their English was limited, so they couldn't tell me where. But they were really nice & fun to shoot.



I love Virgin: they have the best entertainment system. I stay up all night watching films, so naturally I'm a bit tired when we land. Still, I couldn't help but notice what the girls were wearing, as we queued for customs. Mostly: knits. On an overnight flight, you want to dress in the closet thing to cozy PJ's. Lots o' knitted mini dresses, and/or knitted ponchos or pasminas which double as blankets. I saw one look - a purple sweater dress with black tights & brown leather boots - that I liked. Just as I was about to whip out my camera, I remembered we were queuing for customs, after all, and if no phones are allowed, I can only imagine what they'd do if I took out my Canon.



So instead, I'm trotting out an oldie but goodie: Joanna, a London stylist I met last July flying over to NYC, where she was going to be working. Her look still uncannily is spot on trend. To see the original post: jet set (sea of hats).

What do you wear for the long haul?